Various techniques for setting a plurality of precious stones on metal support elements are known within the field of jewellery and horology.
One conventional method consists in piercing holes, with flared edges forming a shoulder, in the surface of the support element, in arranging the stones in the holes so that the culasse of each stone rests on the shoulder of each hole, then immobilising the stones in the holes deforming the material of the support element to form a lip covering the contour of the stone. According to a variant of this method, the stones are held by grains manufactured integrally with the support element and deformed and pushed onto the stone to form small claws that hold the stones on the support element.
This setting method has the drawback of deforming the material of the support element on the side of the decorated face such that it is unsuitable if one wishes to give a refined and unified appearance to a surface decorated with precious stones. This method is particularly unsuitable if one wishes to make, on decorated surfaces, a plurality of rows of stones aligned in various directions and in which the means for holding the stones do not affect the appearance of the support element material.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome the drawbacks of the aforementioned prior art by providing a method of setting a plurality of stones on a support element in which the means for holding the stones on the support element are not visible from the decorated surface of the latter, without altering either the appearance of the set stones or the quality of the holding of the stones to the support element.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a method of this type wherein the support element material on the side of the decorated face is not deformed in order to secure the stones.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a method of this type wherein the element can be easily prepared in advance by automatic machining means.